Local Yard Helps Its Stricken Sisters

Northrop Grumman Newport News is sending everything from food to dump trucks to help its sister shipyards in New Orleans and Pascagoula, Miss., recover from Hurricane Katrina.

The Mississippi and Louisiana shipyards, known collectively as Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, suffered flooding, wind damage and a loss of power when Katrina struck.

The Newport News yard sent a caravan of trucks offering mostly humanitarian relief for an estimated 20,000 Northrop Grumman employees affected by the hurricane.

The trucks came packed with generators, portable air conditioners, batteries, portable toilets and showers, construction lights, shovels and ready-to-eat meals, among other things, according to a list provided by the company.

The Ingalls yard in Pascagoula, which builds Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and amphibious assault ships, was flooded. But most major shipyard assets, such as cranes and fabrication plants, survived intact. More than 400 employees reported for work Friday.

Northrop officials expressed cautious optimism that the Gulf Coast yards could get back in business relatively soon. Officials said there has been no talk of trying to transfer any work to Newport News.

"I am so proud of our shipbuilders and their sacrifices in the midst of this unprecedented national crisis," said Philip Teel, president of Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, who toured the Pascagoula and Gulfport facilities Friday. "This is like a city coming back to life."

Northrop's Avondale yard in New Orleans, where more than 6,000 workers build amphibious ships and oil tankers, was described as being in fairly good shape. Northrop's Gulfport plant, which makes composite materials for ships, was partially flooded.

With so many employees suffering from the hurricane, the focus has been to provide humanitarian relief. Northrop Grumman said it will contribute $2 million to launch a fund for Gulf Coast employees.

In a letter issued Friday to the Newport News employees, company president Mike Petters said his yard is providing as much assistance as possible to the Gulf Coast. He also urged employees to contribute to the fund created by Northrop to help disaster victims.

"In addition to providing basic human needs like food and water, our focus is on helping them get the shipyards back in operation as quickly as possible," Petters wrote. "This will result in people being able to get back to work and will help them begin the process of rebuilding their lives." *